Menachem Halberstadt – Bible illustrations |
Batei Saidoff

For the past decade, Menachem Halberstadt has illustrated the article on the  weekly Bible portion that opens the Makor Rishon newspaper’s weekend literary magazine. Bible illustrations have a long tradition, from decorations around the margins of ancient manuscripts and church frescoes, through the painting of Rembrandt and the illustrations of Gustav Dore, and up to the new interpretations in all spheres of contemporary art. This tradition is both broad and convenient, but also a minefield of clichés and sacred cows. Over the years, the illustrator has made various different experiments in creating a visual language. Initially he used traditional techniques such as ink, pencil and dry pastel sketches, and later moved on to mixed and digital techniques. But at the conceptual level too – Halberstadt is constantly moving within the undefined space between drawing and illustration.
 
The exhibition includes illustrations from different periods, in which there is a reflection of this dual movement – the movement between craft and art, high and low, manual and digital; and also a shaking up movement that seeks a new view of the canonical stories and texts, in order to bring them to life and find relevance for our times.

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Curator: 

Leonid Blaklev

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Curator: 

Yoni Shalmon

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Participants:

Aharon Friedman, Assaf Hanuka, Guy Morad, Shlomit Saor and Lior Atzmon Fruin, Liav Tzabari, Nir Philosof, Noa Kelner, Omer Hoffman, Einat Tzarfati, Racheli Shalev, Shimon Angel and Reut Bortz

Address:

Batei Saidoff (Saidoff Houses), 155 Jaffa Road, Jerusalem

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Opening hours: 

Sunday – Thursday 10:00 – 14:00, 17:00 – 21:00 | Friday 10:00 – 14:00